These Two Trail Cam Pics Perfectly Illustrate Why Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is Both Awesome and Terrifying

Michigan's Upper Peninsula is truly a paradise (heck, they even have a town up there named "Paradise"). There are miles and miles of wilderness to explore, and you'll often see wildlife while out on a hike or just a leisurely stroll.

But these two photos, taken on the eastern end of the U.P., south of Sault Ste. Marie, perfectly sum up why the U.P. is beautiful, awesome, but at some times a little terrifying.

Full disclosure - I grew up in the U.P., so it will always hold a place in my heart. This first photo was taken just a few days ago by my uncle's trail cam near my family's property in Pickford, Mich. It catches a touching moment between a doe and her fawn, and is one of those pictures that you couldn't ever capture in person.

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This second picture was captured about six weeks ago on the same uncle's trail cam. Fun story - a few days before this picture was snapped, my dad, my older brother, and I were at our property hanging out. My brother decided to take an ATV around the area to show his girlfriend, and they were RIGHT IN THIS SPOT at one point on their ride. Luckily, this guy (or gal. I'm not a bear expert.) wasn't there, too.

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While that first picture definitely makes you say, "man, that's awesome. I totally want to go to the U.P. and see that kind of thing in person.", the second picture basically just makes you say "nope", though it's beautiful in its own way.